Any excuse to spend a work day at the beach has to be a good thing, right? Well, I have to admit, I wasn’t all that stoked at the possibility of boiling alive on the shore at the Ritz-Carlton during that mini heatwave a few weeks ago. So, I foolishly planned to arrive mid-morning, have an early lunch, then hit the spa. Big mistake.
Now, I have to say that I’ve never had the pleasure of languishing on the Ritz-Carlton beach before, I thought it was a bit out of my budget range. So, I was pleasantly surprised to find that not only is there an adults-only section but all the sunbeds are protected with more than adequate shade to keep even my redhead-sensitive skin happy.
Once I’d chosen my bed, one of the beach attendants rolled out some fluffy white towels and I began to feel very spoiled. I ordered some sparkling water, which arrived in its own ice bucket, and settled down to ready the magazines I’d bought from the hotel shop.
It was indeed hot and I had expected to manage an hour, two at most. Four hours, a delicious complementary fruit juice and several dips in the crystal-clear water later, I was hard-pushed to force myself off the beach and into La Med restaurant just as lunchtime service was coming to an end.
In fact, so late was I running that the ever-helpful restaurant staff had to call the spa and move my appointment so I could enjoy the yummy food on offer.
To be honest, I often don’t eat at lunchtime but this truly felt like a holiday and there were plenty of indulgent yet still healthy options to choose from in a bright, fresh and colourful buffet.
I started with a selection of salad items: rocket, beetroot, moutabel and the like – all deliciously crunchy and tingling with flavour. Next up was poached salmon in orange sauce with a selection of grilled veggies and tiny new potatoes. I was intrigued at the idea of fish in orange sauce, it’s not a combination I’ve come across before and I wondered if the relatively strong citrus flavour would be overpowering. But, far from it, the light sweetness of the fruit proved the perfect accompaniment to the firm flesh of the fish which was perfectly cooked, yielding without crumbling.
For dessert, I probably should have dipped in to the large selection of fresh fruit. But holiday mode took over and guided my greedy spoon to the ice cream and beautifully presented mini cake slices. Replete with salted chocolate caramel and raspberry cheesecake – both good enough to go back for more – I consoled myself that they were, indeed, quite mini allowing the pleasure of sweet indulgence but without the bloated feeling that comes with tucking into a full-sized portion.
A swift cuppa later and I was, at last, heading to the spa for a much-anticipated relaxation massage using the venue’s signature oils. I can say little more than that this provided the perfect end to a perfect day. Unlike many massage treatments, which focus on specific problem areas with varying degrees of ferocity, this was purely about making me feel great. Gentle pressure released shoulder knots and the oils left my skin feeling baby soft, not something I could have boasted before!
And the price? I hear you ask. Well, it’s a surprisingly good value BD25 per adult for beach access on weekdays. BD29 with lunch included. Kids pay BD12.500 or BD14. Weekends are BD50 and BD25. I added the massage to round-out that feeling of self-pampering but, to be honest, I could happily just have headed back to the beach or one of the cabanas or poolside – all included in the package – and my day would have been equally as delightful.
So, if you’re on the island this summer and fancy a little daycation, you know where to head. I might just see you there.
